Making A Model Train Table

The all plywood train table good straight knot free dimensional lumber 1 x 3s or 2 x 4s has become expensive and difficult to find so jim hediger senior editor of model railroader magazine devised the all plywood table if you re building a small layout you won t find a better table design than this one.

Making a model train table.

Lay out the track plan. The first step in creating a model railroad layout is to build a quality train table. Plywood is a good choice for making a solid stable base for a small model railroad table. For example a door is an easy way to get a layout up and running but a train layout table do have many advantages.

There are many techniques for designing and building a fixed supporting structure for your model train layout table. Using this method to build a simple inexpensive train table you can build a table in a couple of hours or less at a cost of 32 using standard lumber. You must consider the point of view of the observer and train operators when adding height to a. A basic freestanding table is the first layout for many if not most model railroaders.

A model train table also raises the tracks to a comfortable height for working on the railroad and for viewing the trains in action. If you have graduated from ovals and basic turnouts on your model railway the next step is to create some elevated tracks and terrain. Model train table design can be almost anything to be used as a surface to place your model train set and build scenery on it. Model railroads come in all shapes and sizes.

Farquhar computer security professional train hobbyist and landlord. You can use a sheet of plywood a counter top an old table and dresser. It first seems logical building a table underneath a sheet of plywood hollow core. Draw out your full size track plan on the plywood using the railroad track sections as a guide.

The first mass produced model train was made by marklin in 1891 and since that time the hobby has grown to include millions of fans including musicians rod stewart and neil young newscaster tom brokaw and actor tom hanks. No matter what scale you ve chosen you can fit a modest railroad in this convenient space. Many modelers however need to be able to fold up and put away the layout due to space concerns.